The Queen is ready to take on even more royal duties as the King and Kate continue to recover.
Camilla has been praised for her “tremendous” sense of duty and will lead the Royal Family at Monday’s Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey.
As Charles keeps up his cancer treatment and Prince William spends time with his family while Kate recovers from abdominal surgery, Camilla, 76, is standing in at a host of events.
She has taken on several duties for her husband in recent weeks and there are plans for her to represent the royals at the Chelsea Flower Show in May, as well as at four events in June: the D-Day 80th anniversary commemorations, Garter Day, Royal Ascot and Trooping the Colour.
The Queen was the most senior royal at last week’s Windsor memorial service for King Constantine of Greece when William pulled out at the last minute.
Dickie Arbiter, royal commentator and former press secretary to the late Queen Elizabeth II, said: “The Queen is doing a tremendous job – and some. She’s been stepping up front, centre, inside, out, doing everything expected of her and more.
“This is good to see because way back in 2005 she was pilloried. When she and Charles married a former staff member came out and accused her of being lazy.
“Well, watching her work now no one could accuse her of that. Last month she was due at the cathedral in Salisbury for a charity concert.
“She was in Sandringham in Norfolk 200 miles away and was supposed to travel there by helicopter. The weather was atrocious, so she couldn’t fly.
“Instead she drove for six hours there and back to make sure she attended the event. It just gives an indication of her commitment.
“She is also obviously worried about her husband because it must have been such a shock to discover that the man you love has got a cancer. But she is determined to do whatever it takes to support him and she is doing a magnificent job.”
William earlier today visited London’s Oval cricket ground to mark the work of a winner of his Earthshot Prize in supplying sustainable packaging to sport venues.
The Princess of Wales hopes to return to work after Easter. Aides at Kensington Palace declined to provide further details but said she was “doing well”.
Mr Arbiter said that in spite of Camilla’s help and their own worries both William and Charles were working hard.
He said: “The King is working, he’s just not doing what he really wants to do and that’s going out and meeting people.
“But he is doing everything that’s required of him from a constitutional point of view. He is working on his red boxes, working on Government papers which only he can do. He recently had a conference call with Prime Minister Trudeau of Canada. Just on Thursday he received the incoming high commissioner of Jamaica.
“William is also doing his fair share: last week he was at a synagogue to condemn the rise in antisemitism. Before that he was visiting the Red Cross to champion humanitarian issues. So we can’t put him to one side.
“Kate will be desperately keen to get back to work. Easter is at the end of this month so watch this space. We can only wish her well and back on the royal road as soon as possible.”
Ex-BBC court correspondent Michael Cole dismissed ideas that William may be jealous of Camilla’s more prominent role.
He said the heir to the throne would be “only too glad to see the responsibility for keeping the royal show on the road shared out between a suddenly reduced number of available working royals”. The Prince has reduced commitments while looking after Kate and their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. This year has seen a cut of senior royals to only seven when everyone is in full health – Charles, Camilla, William, Kate, Princess Anne, Prince Edward and Sophie.
Elizabeth II died in 2022, the year after Prince Philip; Prince Harry and Meghan stepped down in 2020 and Prince Andrew lost his HRH. Mr Cole added: “It is right…in accord with protocol the Queen Consort should take up some of the duties of her husband while he is unable to preside at public-facing events. William has shown nothing but good judgment.”
Kate left hospital on January 29 and is recuperating at her Adelaide Cottage home close to Windsor Castle. Aides said she wanted her medical details to remain private.
